Help Me Bury My Sister

$235
of $2,000 goal

I found out at 10:00am Friday, May 18, that my only sibling and last living relative (besides my daughter and grandson), Stacie Kohn; my kid sister, died yesterday (May 17, 2018) at age 61.

She called 911 and paramedics arrived. They were standing in her kitchen when she collapsed. She was transported to Desert Regional Hospital in Palm Springs. She was given CPR but had died on the way to the hospital. What I learned from the coroner this morning was that it was quite likely a massive heart attack.

My sister led a tortured life. She was 11 when our mother died. I was 18. Our father did his best but it wasn’t enough. Stacie spent the last years of her life battling mental health issues. Speaking with her on the phone was very difficult as she seemed delusional and confused. Yet she managed to live on her own with success. She had a couple friends that looked after her well being. In fact, we were looking to move her here to Milwaukee sometime in 2018.

I spoke to Adult Protective Services on several occasions but they did nothing to help.And neither did I. My wife Charlotte and I live on fixed incomes and travel is out of the question. We assisted her long distance.

This was all sudden and unexpected.

What adds to this horror is how we were notified.Milwaukee Police went to my daughter Katie’s house this morning to tell them that her mother Charlotte had died. Katie became hysterical. It took a while before they realized they had screwed it up and confirmed that it was my sister; not my wife that had died.

At this point, an autopsy will be performed to determine cause of death.We have 10 business days to figure out how we will have her body taken care of.

Some serious research will be done with local mortuaries on how to get the most inexpensive burial or cremation. We just don’t have the money. And we live 2000 miles away. Nor any way to go to her residence to pick up family memorabilia she had. She was really proud of all the old family photos in her possession.

I’m waiting on knee replacement surgery to happen in early June. And then Charlotte will need overdue surgery as soon as I attain sufficient mobility to take care of her. And then when she is better, I have to have the other knee done.This is a nightmare.